The Past Comes AHaunting
by Saphire Ravven8
Summary: Brennan gets an unwelcome reminder of his past. A killer is out to get him...through any means possible. Will he and his friends survive? Rated R for language and suggestive content BS JL
1. Default Chapter

Title: Past Comes A-Haunting

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing...meh....

A/N: f you don't review, I won't update. So If you like the first chapter, I suggest you review. And the first chapter may be a bit uneventful, but, trust me, it gets better. Also, I am reposting this because they deactivated my other account b/c I got reported ONCE! Grr...  
  
The phone rang, Jesse muted the show they were watching and Lexa picked up the phone from the end table. "Hello?" She said into the receiver. "Um, yeah, sure," she handed the phone over to Brennan. "It's for you." He looked at it in confusion. Who would be calling him? Everyone who would have any reason to call him was sitting in the room with him. Lexa shrugged and he took the phone.  
"Yeah?" He said, still confused. "Yes, this is Brennan Mulwray. Who the hell is this?" He listened in silence for a few minutes, his expression becoming increasingly more grave. He stood up from the couch and began pacing behind it. "Yeah, what about him?" Another pause ensued. "WHAT!?" He shouted suddenly, making the others jump. "How could you let this happen?! Idiots!" He shouted. Brennan slammed the phone onto the receiver. "Dammit!" He ran his fingers through his hair. Shalimar came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, crossing them over his chest. She kissed the base of his neck.  
"What is it?" She asked gently.

"Nothing," he said roughly. He shook her off, instantly regretting his actions at the hurt look in her eyes. He slammed his fist into the wall angrily, took a deep breath, and then turned back to Shalimar and the others. He wrapped his arms around Shalimar apologetically. "I'm sorry Shal. I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's okay. Tell us what's wrong." She said. Brennan turned his back on them again.

"Shane escaped from jail." He muttered angrily.

"What!?" Jesse and Shalimar exclaimed simultaneously. Lexa looked confused.

"Who? And why is it our problem?" Lexa asked. Brennan sighed and explained.

"Before I came to Mutant X I ran with a pretty tough crowd. Shane Taylor was the worst one of us all. He wouldn't think twice about slitting someone's throat if they got in his way. Being the drunken moron that I was, I didn't see a problem with that at the time. Then one day he decided to develop an overly-extreme hatred of mutants. He started seeking them out; torturing, and murdering new mutants. I got scared, having only in recent years learned of my abilities, plus I feared for others like me. So one day, when he killed one, a young girl... God, she can't have been more than sixteen years old. I got pissed and I turned him in, and he got put away for life. Or that's how it was supposed to go down. But now he's escaped and..." Brennan paused and shuddered.

"What?" Shalimar asked. She hadn't heard anything beyond Shane's arrest.

"He swore, as the cops were dragging him out of the club that night, that he would get his revenge on me for betraying him." He sighed and sat down on the couch, running his fingers through his hair.

"Wow," Lexa stated, obviously impressed at his story. Shalimar put her arms around him, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Don't worry, Brennan, we'll catch him." Shalimar assured him. His eyes grew wide.

"No!" He exclaimed. "You can't. You guys have to stay away from me. This guy is dangerous and crazy. He'll come after me through you. I won't put your lives in danger." He backed away, heading for the nearest exit. Jesse ran and caught his arm, forcing him to stop.

"We're not gonna let you do this alone." Jesse told him.

"Yes, you are. I'm packing some stuff and getting out of here. I will not put you guys at risk. You mean too much to me." Brennan replied stubbornly.

"We're helping you and that's it." Jesse said. Brennan opened his mouth to say something but Jesse interrupted him. "No, don't argue. It won't due you any good. And don't try to ditch us either. 'Cause trust me when I say I'll find you. And it won't be pretty when I do. I'll phase your ass straight through a wall...and out to the cliffs and rocks below." Jesse glared at him.  
"I don't want him to hurt you guys."  
"We'll be okay. We can take care of ourselves. You should know that by now." Lexa told him, patting his shoulder.  
"Okay," he gave in reluctantly. "Okay, but if anything happens to you guys, I'll never forgive myself." Shalimar hugged him again, kissing him gently.  
"We'll work this out. Together," she whispered to him.  
"I'll start looking on the computer." Jesse said and headed off.  
"Okay, I'm too wired to sleep, so I'm gonna go train for a bit. Shal, why don't you and Lexa go try to get some shut eye? Jesse or I will call you if something comes up." Jesse nodded and headed to the computer room.  
"Alright," Lexa said. "Later, Sparky; Try not to kill the training equipment, 'kay?"  
"Yeah, sure," Brennan gave her a half-smile. Lexa looked at him oddly. Her little nickname always made him smile and laugh. This Shane guy's escape must really have been messing with him. Shalimar also noticed his strange reaction to Lexa's now-familiar nickname, which at first has made her feel territorial towards the newbie, but now just made her grin. She often used the name on Brennan when they were alone. It made him give her that sexy little smile she loved so much. This wasn't like him. It worried her. She and Lexa exchanged a look. Lexa raised an eyebrow, mouthing "talk to him', then left, patting Brennan's shoulder reassuringly. "

We'll be alright, Sparky." She said softly, and then strode away.  
Shalimar wrapped her arms around him gently. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, his voice strained. Shalimar knew he was lying. She pulled him tighter against her.  
"Liar," she whispered. He kissed her forehead.  
"I'll be okay when that asshole is back in jail and I know you're safe. Until then I'm just kind of... dealing." She kissed his lips gently, running her fingers through his hair.  
"Promise me you won't go after him alone" Shalimar pleaded. Brennan stayed silent. Shalimar looked into his eyes, "Promise me Brennan. Please." She whispered, tears welling in her eyes. Again he stayed silent for a minute before taking a deep breath then letting it go in a huge sigh.  
"Okay," he sighed.  
"Promise," Shalimar insisted.  
"I promise." Brennan vowed, feeling the love and concern flowing from her body.  
"Thank you," she whispered, burying her face in her shoulder. He kissed her hair, laying his forehead on the top of her head.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
A/N: Please review, please... ::begs::


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Still, I own nothing, much to my dispair.

A/N: Yay! I'm almost finished writing this fic! I just like updating slowly to keep you all in suspense. This chap is rated R for language. BEWARE! hehe... I hope the people that were reading this before find it again. Peace, Love, and Rock On. Saph

CHAPTER 2

Three days, Brennan fumed. Three days and four mutant murders later and that bastard still hadn't been caught yet! What the hell were those police men doing? Sitting on their asses drinking coffee and eating donuts?! 'Fuck! I could've caught this bastard by now! Why the hell did I make that stupid promise!?' Brennan angrily threw punches at the bag strung up in the empty training room; but in his heart he knew why he had made that promise to Shalimar. Because he loved her. He had never told her, at least not yet, but that was exactly the reason that he had made that damn promise. "FUCK!" Brennan shouted, aiming a spinning kick at the punching bag, snapping the chain that held it, ripping the seams, throwing it against the wall, showing it and the floor in little bead-thingies. "AHHGGH!" Brennan roared in frustration, dropping to his knees, pulling at his hair, and breathing heavily.  
Lexa appeared from nowhere, nearly making Brennan jump out of his skin at the sound of her voice. "I thought I told you not to break the equipment." She said, half-amused, half-irritated, as she took a dust pan and broom out of a small closet and began cleaning up the beads.  
"God, Lexa, give me a frigin' heart attack, why dontcha!" Brennan snapped without much conviction. Lexa grinned at him, tossing the contents of the dust pan into the garbage along with the sorry remains of the punching bag.  
"Instead of standing there, making stupid comments, you could string up another punching bag there Sparky. You know, since you just killed the last one." Lexa grinned wider as he glared at her not in the least bit angry before striding over to another closet and pulling out a new bag and putting it up.  
"There, happy?"  
"Ecstatic," Lexa smirked. It was then that they heard Jesse's voice hailing them.  
  
"Brennan, guys, get in here!" Jesse called from the computer room. It was nearly three AM, but everyone was awake and they all rushed in, Brennan laid a hand on Jesse's shoulder as he peered over it at the glowing computer screen.  
"Whaddaya got for me Jess?" Brennan asked quickly. Jesse rubbed his eyes, itching with exhaustion. He'd been hunched over Sanctuary's main computer for almost five hours.  
"Location on Shane. He's in an alley beside that new business building. That big huge one near the Rave dance club."  
"Jesse, you rock!" Brennan exclaimed, squeezing his shoulders and shaking him playfully. Jesse grinned tiredly.  
"Thanks, I always thought so." Jesse yawned, rubbing his eyes again. Brennan frowned in concern.  
"Get some rest. I'll keep an eye on the screen while you sleep, make sure he doesn't move." Brennan told him. Jesse looked at him, reluctant to leave his post. Brennan smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. Go on, go. You look exhausted."  
"Thanks, Brennan. See you in a couple of hours. Don't lose track of him. It took me forever to pin him down in the first place."  
"Don't worry Jess, I won't lose him." Brennan said rather coldly, glaring at the screen. Jesse didn't notice the harsh tone n which he spoke, too tired to see much of anything, beyond his heavy eyelids and the welcome prospect of a few hours' sleep. The girls noticed. They exchanged another look. Jesse however remained blissfully unawares.  
"Kay, Night." Jesse called over his shoulder as he went to his room.  
"Night Jess!" They yelled after him simultaneously. Jesse smiled, went into his room, flopped down on his bed, taking off his pants and shirt and fell asleep.  
Lexa and Shalimar huddled around the computer screen behind Brennan, now seated in the plush computer chair. Lexa looked at Shalimar pointedly; Shalimar nodded and leaned in close to Brennan's ear, putting an arm around his chest, catching sight of his clenched fist upon the desk top, knuckles white. His hand relaxed slightly at her gentle embrace. Shalimar took this as a good sign and leaned in closer, her breath tickling his neck and ear.  
"Remember, you promised me, Sparky." She whispered. He nodded and relaxed further at the brush of her lips against his ear. Lexa grinned; Shal always knew how to calm Brennan down. Though that nickname coming from her feral lips probably only turned him on. Damn she was good...  
  
Brennan flicked on the TV, Jesse was sleeping and Lexa was taking a turn watching the computer. He flipped to a news station, hoping to see that they'd caught Shane, but not really thinking that they would have. As he turned to the local station a newscaster's face appeared. "_Believed to be the work of escaped prisoner Shane Taylor, who is also believed responsible for several other deaths in the days since his escape. It would seem as if Taylor is up to his old antics as a young woman was found dead near an alley before dawn this morning. DNA tests have proven her to be a mutant of feral origin. Identity unknown..."_ The newscaster droned. A picture was put on the screen. Brennan nearly died. The woman on the screen looked almost exactly like Shalimar, except this girl was dead. It couldn't be true. God, she couldn't be dead. Brennan leapt from the couch dashing madly down the hall to Shalimar's room, shouting her name in panic. 'Please God, don't let it be her.'

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: GASP! Is she really dead?! Review me and maybe you'll find out...bwa ha ha ha ha...Saph


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See the first two chapters.

A/N: Oh come on people, I got more reviews than this the last first time I posted it. Where are all the people who reviewed for me last time? I WANT FIVE REVIEWS OR YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!! And that's too bad, 'cause I had planned on a sequel...

'Please God, don't let it be her.' He prayed. Lexa came quickly around the corner from the computer room. Her eyes fell upon the picture on the screen and grew wide. She ran off after Brennan, cold fear gripping her heart.

Shalimar heard Brennan's shouts as he and Lexa pounded down the hallway. She opened her door just as they arrived and Brennan enveloped her tightly in his arms, his whole body shaking. Tears streamed down his face as he breathed raggedly. He ran his hands over her, checking her over carefully. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her repeatedly.

"Thank God," Lexa whispered, hugging her gently. Brennan sank to the floor, taking her down with him, smothering her in relieved kisses. Shalimar looked at them confused, running her fingers through his hair and hushing him gently while trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Brennan what-?" She ran her hands over his quivering back and arms. "You're shaking like a leaf. What's wrong? What happened?" She straddled his lap, kissing him.

"I thought, God I thought it was you," he sobbed, burying his face in her hair. She looked over at the more stable one of the two. Lexa's normally stoic disposition seemed to be falling apart at the seams.

"Lexa?"

"There was a picture on the news. She looked just like you...we thought... we were so afraid it was you...." Lexa's voice was choked with suppressed tears. Shalimar's eyes grew wide. Now she understood. They had thought some dead girl on the news was her. The thought scared her immensely but she held Brennan tighter, whispering words of reassurance in his ear.

"It's okay, baby. I'm right here. It wasn't me. I'm okay." She murmured over and over again, rocking him in her arms. After several minutes of repeated reassurances and Brennan running his hands over her back, arms, shoulders, face, and through her hair, just to be sure, he finally stopped shaking. He still held her tightly in his arms and she didn't try to stop him, knowing what that picture had done to him.

"He knew," Brennan murmured. "He knew about you and how much I care about you. He did this on purpose. He knew what it would do to me. Tear me apart inside. Make me wish I were dead just to be with you. Make me wish I had told you how much I loved you before. Make me blame myself."

Shalimar looked at him wide eyed, "What'd you just say?" She smiled, tears of joy forming in her eyes.

"Blame myself?" he said obliviously. Lexa smirked and back away a few paces, leaving them to enjoy their moment.

Shalimar shook her head, "Before that." His eyes widened as he remembered what he said, and then he smiled.

"That I love you." He looked at her hopefully, praying that his feelings were returned. She smiled warmly, letting a few tears fall from her eyes.

"I love you too." She smiled through her tears, he kissed her deeply. "No matter what happens, I will always love you." She breathed as they broke their kiss. She nipped at his ear and neck gently. He growled, quietly, and then turned to Lexa.

"Lexa, wake Jesse up, tell him we're moving out in an hour. Tell him to be ready." Lexa was just about to ask why he wanted to wait an hour when realization dawned as another small growl escaped Brennan's lips at Shalimar's seductive antics. Lexa smirked again and went to re-monitor the computer for another half-hour of so, knowing that it was not essential to wake Jesse right away.  
  
Forty- five minutes later, Jesse woke to Lexa shaking him gently. "Jess, Jesse wake up!" Jesse stirred slowly, covering his eyes with his hands at the invasive light that shone brightly through his closed eyelids. "C'mon Jess, wake up. There was another murder last night." Jesse sat bolt upright, startling Lexa.  
"What!" He exclaimed.  
"This guy's a wacko. He's obviously trying to mess with Brennan's head. The police found a girl near that alley. She was in her early twenties; blonde, wavy hair, green eyes, a feral. Sound like anyone else we know?"

Jesse's eyes grew wide, "Oh God, Shalimar!" He leapt out of bed, pulling on a pair of jeans.

"Jesse, it's not her." Lexa assured him quickly.

"Thank God." Jesse breathed a sigh of relief. "Brennan must have had a heart attack." He said in concern, tugging on a shirt. The two team mates walked quickly down the hallway.

"Oh yeah, and he's pissed. "

"How's he doing?" Lexa tried to suppress a grin. "Shalimar's...um...taking care of him..." Nope, she couldn't do it, her face cracked into a wide, amused grin. Jesse looked at her in confusion before a light bulb lit over his head.  
"Oh," he said quietly, smirking.

"Yeah, he says we're leaving in about fifteen minutes. Actually, he said an hour, but I decided since they were busy having their fun, I'd let you sleep. But he wants to get this guy ASAP. And I can't say that I blame him. I want this prick caught too." They got ready; changing into more appropriate clothing, then went to warm up for a few minutes. About ten minutes later they came upon Brennan and Shalimar in the computer room. Brennan was seething and Shal was trying to calm him down. It wasn't working, even after their little... um...playtime...  
"Brennan, he's trying to mess with you! Don't take the bait." Shal jumped in the path of his angry pacing. Brennan stopped abruptly and looked her straight in the eye.  
"If we don't get this bastard now his next victim actually could be you. I mean, obviously he knows about you, God only knows how, but he does. I need to get him Shal. Before he really does hurt you." He looked at her desperately. She took a long pause before answering.  
"Okay," she said at last. "Okay, we go after him."  
"No, Shal, not we." He said, lines of concern etching themselves in his brow.  
"If I'm agreeing to this we're going with you. And don't try to leave without us. I will _hunt you down_ and I will _hurt you._ And don't think that I won't." She growled menacingly. He looked away, still reluctant to put her in danger. She curled a finger under his chin and forced him to look at her. "Listen to me Brennan! I love you! I am not going to let you face this guy alone!" Tears glistened in her eyes.  
"Okay, okay. I give." He put his arms around her waist. "But like I said before, if anything happens to you guys...never. I will never forgive myself." Shal kissed him.  
"We know, Bren. We know. Now come on. We've got us a murderer to stop." Shalimar led the others to the Helix, starting it and speeding out the secret exit in the mountain side. "The thrill of the chase," she growled cattishly. Brennan grinned. She was quite the hunter, his feral.  
  
They landed the Helix on a rooftop a few blocks away and made their way to the alley that Jesse had shown them on the map last night. They crept around the corner. They heard a noise and froze.  
A rat. It was just a rat. They breathed out sighs of relief and checked the alley quickly. A trash can tumbled over behind them, making them all jump and Shal and Lexa to gasp in surprise. A dark shape darted around the corner and they gave chase. Shane Taylor yanked open the plexi- glass doors of the multi-story law office building. It was almost empty inside so the Mutant X team mates ran through after the fleeing convict. Shane dashed up the stairs no more than six feet ahead of them. He shoved open the landing door on the seventh floor. Brennan and the others piled out onto the floor looking left and right but not seeing him.  
"Split up!" Brennan ordered and he and Shal went right while Lexa and Jesse went left. "At the end of the hall split again, look every where. We can't lose him again." Brennan called back to him. At the end of their hallway, Shal went left and Brennan went right. "Be careful." He shouted to her as she ran along.  
"You too baby." She called back then disappeared up the flight of stairs leading to the roof. Shalimar crept out onto the gravel and pavement rooftop cautiously. She heard heavy footfalls on the gravel somewhere ahead of her and to the left. She brought the COM ring to her lips and whispered into it as quietly as she could. "Brennan, he's on the roof. I'm going after him."  
"No!" Brennan's voice sounded in her ear. "Shal, no! It's too dangerous!" But Shalimar ignored him and followed the footsteps of the fleeing fugitive. She crept around another corner and slunk over to the railing. Her eyes glowed yellow as she felt a presence behind her. She whirled around and froze. There he was. Shane, with a small handgun pointed straight at her. His cold blue eyes met hers, now fading from yellow back to their normal green.  
"So you're the one Brennan's so in love with. Made a pretty close match last night, huh, baby?" Shane grinned.

"Don't ever call me that you sick bastard." Shalimar growled, yellow-gold eyes flashing angrily.

"You're quite the hottie for a freak." He continued, as though he hadn't even heard her. "It'd break Brennan's heart if you died. I would've loved to have seen his reaction this morning when he saw the news. Did he have a complete mental breakdown? Or what?" Shalimar glared at him silently. "That's alright baby, I can see his reaction when I really do kill you. The real thing is always more fun anyways. Now let's see how well a gun works at killing a feral freak like yourself." He cocked the gun and pointed it straight at her. "This is for you, Traitor."  
Brennan heard the first shot fired as he reached the top of the stairs. 'Oh God, no!' He thought to himself, terror fogging his mind. "Shalimar!" He shouted into the COM ring. He heard the second shot a few moments later and followed the noise, fear clenching tightly around his heart. He rounded the corner and saw Shalimar sort-of standing only a few feet away from Shane. She had her hand on her left side and blood flowed from between her fingers and down her pant leg. Another bullet wound in her arm bled heavily. Brennan was surprised she was still conscious, let alone standing. Shane cocked the gun again and fired.  
"NO!" Brennan screamed, throwing a bolt of electricity at Shane and shoving Shalimar out of the bullet's path at the same time. Blood spilled from a wound in his shoulder but he steeled himself against the pain, covering the bloody hole with his leather jacket before kneeling over Shalimar. She fought for breath, her face contorted in pain. "Shal?" Brennan choked out, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.  
"Bren-nan," Shalimar gasped, her eyes meeting his. Brennan grasped her hand in his.  
"Shh, don't try to talk. Save your strength," he said. Shalimar's body quaked in his arms, blood covering his hands as he tried to slow the bleeding. "You can't leave me, Shal. I can't lose you. You mean everything to me. I love you." He whispered, kissing her forehead gently.

"I don't b-blame you," Shalimar gasped. "I-love-you."

"Shh, baby, don't move. I'm right here. I'm not gonna leave you." His voice caught in his throat and he kissed her again. He turned to his COM ring. "Jesse, Lexa," he choked into the ring. "Call an ambulance and get to the rooftop. Shalimar's been shot."  
"Oh God, is she okay?" Jesse asked.  
"No," Brennan sobbed, clasping her hand tighter as Shalimar's eyes fought to stay open. Finally she lost that battle and her eyelids flickered shut. Her breathing was ragged. "Hold on baby." He whispered.  
"We'll take her back to Sanctuary; let the computer in the med lab heal her." Jesse said.  
"No, we can't risk transporting her. She could die." Brennan said hoarsely. There was a pause on Jesse's end.  
"Okay, we'll call the ambulance."

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Remember people: FIVE REVIEWS!!! Please...pretty please... ::sad-puppy-dog eyes:: Saph


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing. 'Cept Shane, who I don't particularly like, but think that's sorta the point, yeah? Not to like the evil dude?  
  
A/N: Yay! New chapter! Okay, no more blackmail. I'm proud of my fic whether you guys review for me or not. Though I do very much appreciate it. So, please continue reviewing, it makes me very happy and proud that my writing is appreciated. So, thank you all.  
  
A minute later, maybe less, Jesse and Lexa appeared on the roof. "Oh my God," Jesse gasped and ran to Shalimar's side, followed quickly by Lexa. Brennan gritted his teeth against the pain in his shoulder, but said nothing, though he could feel the blood soaking his shirt. He heard a noise to his right and looked up to see Shane raising himself up onto his elbow. The scruffy man laughed wickedly. Brennan laid Shalimar in Lexa's gentle arms.  
"I killed the cat," Shane cackled. Brennan roared in anger as he stood and advanced upon the man. "I killed the cat." He repeated insanely.  
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Brennan screamed, forming a huge ball of electricity between his hands. He split the ball in two and threw one at Shane as hard as he could, hitting him square in the chest. Shane went down hard. He didn't get back up. Brennan growled again and prepared to throw the second electricity ball, knowing that it would kill the convict. Just as he was about to let it fly, a strong hand grabbed his arm, stopping him.  
"Brennan, no!" Jesse exclaimed. Brennan whirled on him angrily.  
"Why the hell did you stop me?! I'm gonna kill him, Jess! I'm gonna fucking kill him!" Brennan strained against the hand still on his arm.  
"No Brennan! If you do, you'll be just like him!" Brennan still looked about ready to rip the guys' throat open with his teeth (A/N: Nice mental picture there, huh?). Jesse tried a different angle. "And when Shalimar pulls through this I don't want to have to tell her that you were executed for killing that jackass!" He exclaimed, pointed a finger at Shane. That got through to him. Brennan froze and let the electricity fade out of his hand.  
"Shal," he whispered, his voice broke and tears ran down his cheeks. Jesse pulled him into a tight hug as his body shook with grief and tears stung his eyes. Brennan sank to the ground; between the pain in his shoulder and the pain in his heart, he couldn't hold himself up anymore. Jesse knelt by Brennan, his arms still around him as he cried. "She can't die Jess. I can't watch her die too." Brennan sobbed quietly.  
"She's not gonna die Brennan.' Jesse said kind of harshly, as if trying to convince himself.  
  
"Hello?" A voice called from the general direction of the stairs.  
"C'mon, we have to get Shal help." Jesse helped Brennan up, calling out to the EMTs as to their whereabouts.  
The EMTs knelt by Shalimar's side, her body, cradled in Lexa's arms, was surrounded by blood, her breathing coming out in shallow gasps. Several police men ran over to them. "What the hell happened here?" One of them asked, a burly, middle-aged man.  
"The guy," Lexa gestured, "Over there. His name is Shane Taylor. He escaped from jail a few days ago. He shot her." The cop ran over to the place Lexa indicated, cuffing the still-unconscious man. Brennan's eyes flared with anger and he tried to go after him again, but Jesse restrained him.  
"No Brennan, no!" He said calmingly. The other police man looked at him oddly.  
"Why's he want at that guy so bad?" The second cop asked curiously.  
"They're in love." Jesse said honestly, looking at Shalimar's limp form on the gravel. The cop nodded in understanding and didn't press the matter further. Shane was half-dragged, semi- conscious down the stairs by the first cop. They lifted the stretcher bearing Shalimar quickly down the stairs and onto the elevator. They went down, through the lobby, and into the ambulance. Shane was led away to a waiting police car.  
"Why'd he shoot her?" The cop asked as they filed in beside the stretcher.  
"To get revenge on me." Brennan said hoarsely.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I put him away the first time. He swore to get back at me. He was supposed to go away for life but you INCOMPETANT MORONS who call themselves COPS, let him escape!" Brennan raged through his tears, then cried out in pain, grasping at his shoulder. He hunched over, gasping.  
"Brennan?" Jesse asked in concern. "Brennan, are you okay?" Jesse laid a hand across his chest to help him sit back up. His hand landed in something wet and warm. He pulled his hand away, looking at the crimson blood that shone there. "Oh God, Brennan, you're hurt." Lexa leaned over to give him a worried look.  
"I noticed," Brennan tried to laugh but it came out as a pained wheeze.  
"Why didn't you say anything?" Jesse cried out in frustration and concern.  
"Because Shalimar needed their undivided attention." He responded, gritting his teeth. An EMT pushed him back up, inspecting the wound.  
"You could have died! What would you have expected me to tell Shalimar then, huh?!" Jesse exclaimed. "Like, 'Hey, glad you're alive. Where's Brennan? Oh, gee, sorry, he took a bullet for you and bled to death!' That would kill her Brennan!"  
"Sorry," Brennan gasped as the EMT touched a certain spot that sent pain coursing through his body.  
"Went almost all the way through," the EMT said. "You can just feel the tip of the bullet through his skin." Jesse looked at the little lump worriedly. The ambulance screeched to a halt in front of the Emergency Room doors. Several doctors were waiting for them. "Tell them to bring another stretcher out here." The EMT told his partner. She nodded and jumped out of the ambulance.  
"I can walk." Brennan said stubbornly.  
"No you can't. From the looks of that shirt, you've lost way too much blood. We need to get you to the O.R. along with Ms. Fox immediately." The male EMT watched as Shalimar's stretcher was borne towards the hospital, then he and Jesse helped Brennan onto the second stretcher. As they were wheeling him away Brennan grasped for Jesse's hand.  
"Don't let them let her die." He blinked feverishly, trying to keep his eyes open.  
"I won't." Jesse promised, though he wasn't sure if he could keep it. Brennan's hand went limp as he lost consciousness. Jesse and Lexa headed to the waiting room to await information on their friends.  
"Brennan'll never forgive himself for this." Jesse sighed, running his fingers through his tousled blond hair. Lexa put an arm around his shoulder.  
"They'll be okay. Both of them." She assured him.  
  
Lexa was resting with her head on Jesse's shoulder and he was thumbing obliviously through an issue of Seventeen magazine, not even knowing that that was what he was looking at, when a tired-looking surgeon came walking over to them. "Lexa," Jesse said softly, shaking her a bit. Lexa mumbled something incoherent before catching sight of the doctor and sitting bolt upright. They greeted him, concerned by the look in his eyes. It had been nearly four hours since their arrival there.  
"Hi, I'm Doctor Gordon. I worked on your friends."  
"Jesse Kilmartin and Lexa Pierce," Jesse introduced them. "How are they?"  
"Mr. Mulwray was moved to a room and is resting. He's expected to make a full recovery. He lost a lot of blood, but not enough to need a transfusion and that bullet missed all major veins and arteries. He was lucky."  
"And Shalimar?" Jesse asked, not really sure he really wanted to know the answer. The doctor's face didn't help the growing fear that gripped his heart.  
"Her injuries were extensive. As you already know, she took two bullets. One bullet hit a major artery in her arm and she took the second in her side. That one missed her organs, but cracked one of her ribs and came out the other side. The cracked rib pierced her left lung." Jesse's and Lexa's eyes widened in fear. "We pulled the rib out of her lung and set it back in place and stitched up the hole in her lung, stopping all internal bleeding. As it is, she lost a lot of blood. We had to give her two blood transfusions before her condition was stabilized. And she's hooked up to a respirator to help her out while her lung heals. But, she's stable and we expect her to make a full recovery also, but it may take awhile. And I wouldn't expect her to wake up any time soon. A week at least." He smiled a little. "We put both of your friends in the same room to make it easier for you to visit them."  
"Thank you," Jesse said, shaking his hand. Lexa just gave him a small smile.  
"Can we see them?" She asked.  
"Sure, come on, I'll show you where the room is." He led them down a series of hallways and stopped in front of a door leading to a darkened room. "For future reference, it'll be faster to come in through the east entrance."  
"Thanks," Jesse said again. They watched the doctor leave before entering the room. Shalimar and Brennan's beds were side by side, with just enough space in between them for a chair. Two heart monitors beeped from either bedside.  
"Oh God, Shalimar." Lexa breathed, hurrying over to her bedside, taking her hand. "What kind of person could do this to you?" She whispered hoarsely, voice hindered by the lump in her throat. Jesse placed a gentle arm on her shoulder.  
"A murderer," Jesse replied, though he knew that Lexa wasn't really expecting an answer. They heard a pained moan behind them and they whirled around to look at Brennan. The young man stirred, groaning again. Jesse took his hand, squeezing it gently to let him know that they were there. Brennan's eyes opened slowly, "Jess?" he said hoarsely.  
"We're here, Brennan." Jesse told him, squeezing his hand again.  
"Shalimar? Oh God, Jess, where's Shalimar!?" Brennan tried to sit up but he cried out in pain as his head spun and his shoulder throbbed. Jesse pushed him back down gently.  
"Don't move Brennan." He said gently, and then his suppressed anger flared up inside him. "How could you do that to us?! You could have died! That was a stupid thing to do, Brennan! You should have told us that you got shot!" Jesse reprimanded him loudly. Brennan looked at him guiltily.  
"I'm sorry, Jess. It's just...I didn't want the EMTs to waste their attention on me when Shal needed them more. Now where is she Jess?" Jesse looked away and way silent for a moment, and then moved aside, giving him a clear view of Shalimar's still form. Brennan covered his eyes with his hand. "I told her not to go after him. Why didn't she listen to me? God, this is all my fault." Tears ran down his cheeks. Jesse and Lexa hugged him.  
"She didn't listen to you because she's Shalimar. You know how stubborn she is. And it's not your fault. It's that bastard, Shane's fault."  
"Which makes it my fault," Brennan replied. "I begged you not to get involved. I knew he'd come after me through the people that I care about. His being here, hurting her, is my fault. He never would have come after her if it weren't for me. God, Shal, I'm so sorry." His voice broke and the tears ran heavier from his closed eyes. Lexa hugged him tighter, careful to avoid his injured shoulder, while Jesse moved over to Shalimar's bed. He took her hand, then Brennan's. He put Shalimar's hand in Brennan's.  
"Feel that, Brennan? Feel the warmth in her skin. She's alive, and she's going to be okay, and she's not going to blame you, so you shouldn't either." Jesse told him sternly. Brennan's hand closed around Shalimar's and he opened his red-rimmed eyes slowly.  
"Why is she hooked up to that... thing?" He asked, indicating the respirator.  
"A broken rib pierced her lung, but they fixed it up. She's only hooked up to that to help her lung out while it heals, not because she needs it to breathe." Brennan didn't look convinced.  
"She's so pale," he whispered, rubbing his thumb over her hand.  
"She'll look better in a day or so, she lost a lot of blood. Her body needs more time to make new blood cells. She'll be okay, Brennan. Just like I promised." Jesse smiled. Brennan nodded slowly, still looking like he blamed himself. They heard a click as the speakers throughout the hospital buzzed to life.  
"Visiting hours are now over. I repeat: visiting hours are now over." A woman's voice rang out over the speakers.  
"Okay, then I guess we'll be by tomorrow to visit you," Jesse said, giving him a quick hug; Lexa followed suite, kissing his cheek gently. Jesse turned to Shalimar and kissed her forehead and Lexa squeezed her hand and they headed to the door.  
"Bye guys, see you later."  
"See you, Brennan."  
  
The next day Jesse and Lexa went back to the hospital to visit their friends. Brennan was resting. They looked over at Shalimar and smiled, she looked much better this morning. Her skin didn't look nearly as pale as it had the previous night.  
Jesse took a small needle out of his pocket, slipped it into Shalimar's arm and pushed a greenish liquid substance into her veins.  
"What was that?" Brennan asked, startling them.  
"It's a special injection," Jesse explained. "We have no way of knowing if those blood transfusions affected her abilities. That mixture will ensure that her mutation wasn't affected by the foreign... human blood. Adam created it." Brennan nodded. He knew Jesse wouldn't do anything to hurt Shalimar.  
"How're you feelin' Sparky?" Lexa asked. Brennan smiled.  
"Better. Stupid, worthless, and responsible, but better."  
"You're not any of those things, Brennan. Especially not worthless. And nobody blames you for what happened." Jesse replied.  
"I blame me for what happened." He said bitterly.  
"Well don't." Lexa told him.  
"Why the hell not?" He snapped.  
"Because we don't and neither does Shalimar." Brennan looked at him sharply when Jesse said this.  
"How did you-?" He began.  
"You weren't the only one listening to what she said on the roof." Jesse smiled, holding up the hand with the COM ring on his finger.  
"Eavesdropper," Brennan glared without conviction. "But that does make me any less responsible for what happened."  
"You may not think so, but you're not to blame for this. You're not." The room fell silent, save for the beeping of his and Shalimar's heart monitors.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Next chapter'll be more eventful, I promise. Thanks for reviewing.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: See other chapters.

A/N: New chapter! Yay!

Brennan flipped through the channels on the hospital television, not that there was much selection, with their total of eight channels. Brennan settled on the late night news, watching a replay of a car chase. His eyelids were just beginning to droop when something came on the news station that made his eyes snap open.  
_"Convicted murderer Shane Taylor escapes from the hands of the police escort chosen to take him back to the penitentiary that he had originally escaped from. Taylor is to be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who sees him is advised to stay hidden then call their local authorities immediately."  
_ Brennan's eyes flared with anger and fear. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Shane was going to come after Shalimar again. Brennan wasn't about to let that happen.  
'I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch.' Brennan thought to himself, clenching his fists, ignoring the jolt of pain that seared through his arm and side. Brennan took a piece of paper and a pen from his bedside table and wrote a poorly coded note to Jesse and Lexa. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, found his clothes in a mini- closet at his bedside, and dressed hastily, not bothering to put on his blood- stained t-shirt, only pulling on his leather jacket and zipping it up far enough to cover the bandages on his shoulder. He turned to Shalimar's still form lying on the other bed.

"I'm not gonna let him hurt you again. Not if I can help it." He whispered, smoothing the hair away from her forehead and kissing her brow gently. Brennan then ripped the heart monitor's wire from his arm and hid in a deeply shadowed corner as the machine started whistling shrilly. Several doctors came dashing in, looking around the room in confusion at the absence of their patient. Brennan leaned deeper into the shadows as they ran out of the room, searching for him, before easing himself out the shadowy corner, out to the hall, and crept down the hallway, past the nurses and doctors scurrying about, and out the front door. He chuckled, wincing at another small pain before running away down the street in search of his quarry.  
Jesse lay asleep, which was understandable as it was almost two o'clock in the morning, when the phone rang. Jesse jumped in alarm before realizing it was the phone. He took deep breaths trying to calm his pounding heart. He picked up the phone on the third ring.  
"Hullo?" He said groggily.  
"Mr. Kilmartin?" An unfamiliar female voice inquired.  
"Uh-huh," Jesse said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
"This is Jamie; I'm a nurse at the hospital where your friends are currently residing." Panic flared in Jesse at her words.  
"Are they okay? Is it Shalimar?! Is Shalimar okay?!" He asked hastily.  
"Ms. Fox is fine. It's Mr. Mulwray. He's gone missing."  
"WHAT!" Jesse exclaimed as Lexa knocked and entered the room, having also been wakened by the ringing phone. "Are you people completely incompetent?! My instructions were very simple! You were not supposed to let him leave that room!"  
"We're sorry; he just... disappeared. We had a guard on the door, but he never saw your friend leave. We're doing everything we can to find him."  
"We'll be right over." He hung up the phone with a slam.  
"What is it, Jess? What's wrong?" She laid a hand on his arm. Jesse stood and pulled on his jacket.  
"Brennan ran out of the hospital, he must have heard about Taylor's escape. Come on, we have to investigate, try and figure out where they might be headed."  
  
"We're so sorry, sir. We have no idea how he managed to escape." A nurse was saying to Jesse.  
"Brennan has his ways. He probably hid in the darkest corner of the room 'til the coast was clear then made a run for it." Jesse replied with a small smile.  
"He left this on his bed for you and Ms. Pierce." The nurse handed him a crumpled note, nodded, then walked away. Jesse looked at the note oddly for a moment before opening it hastily. His eyes scanned the page, his expression growing increasingly more bewildered.  
"What the-?" He handed the letter to Lexa, who regarded the message with the same confused expression.  
"Eye'm Gunner Kiln Hymn." Lexa read aloud. Jesse frowned. "Protect Shalimar." She read the last decoded line.  
"Read that first part again." He requested. She did as he asked. His frown deepened. In his mind it was beginning to make sense.  
"What?" Lexa asked him, still confused.  
"Eye'm," he pointed to the first word. "That could be I am. Gunner..."  
"Gonna," Lexa said, catching on. Jesse looked at her oddly. "Gunner equals gonna. Like: going to." She explained.  
"Okay, I'm gonna... kiln... kill! I'm gonna kill... hymn. Him! I'm gonna kill him!" Jesse exclaimed, and then his face darkened. Their eyes met.  
"Oh shit," They said simultaneously.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: I know, the note was corny...I'm sorry...but they needed to know his intentions somehow, neither of them had seen the news report... Review, please and thank you. Saph


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: See other chapters.

A/N: Fwoosh...yeah...not much to say... enjoy the chapter and review please.  
  
Brennan walked purposefully down the street, heading to the place where Shane was last seen. He had every intention of killing the man who had hurt the girl he loved. A car screeched past him in the direction of the hospital and Brennan caught sight of Shane behind the wheel. "Shit!" Brennan exclaimed, taking off at a run back the way he had come.  
  
Shane burst through the hospital's doors, waving his gun wildly. "Where can I find Shalimar Fox!?" He barked, grabbing a nurse by the throat and holding her in front of him, his gun at her temple. Everyone backed a few paces away and remained silent. Jesse and Lexa shoved their way through the frightened crowd and burst unexpectedly into the cleared floor space before Shane. "YOU!" Shane screamed, waving his gun at them. "You tell me where I can find Ms. Fox or I'll blow this fucking nurses brains out!" The young woman whimpered and cringed.  
"Please," she begged, but he shook her roughly.  
"Shut the fuck up!" Shane screamed, ramming the gun back into her temple.  
"Hey!" Jesse called, getting his attention. "You leave her the hell alone or we won't tell you anything!"  
"You don't get to make the ultimatum's here freak! I'm gonna finish what I started! I'm gonna kill Brennan from the inside out, starting with that feral bitch!"  
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but you need to chill." Jesse hastily covered up Shalimar's secret. "I know your sanity level isn't that of normal people, but this is ridiculous. Shalimar isn't a mutant!"  
"YES! SHE! IS!" Shane shouted, only deepening people's belief that he was a raving lunatic. Not a single person in that room believed that Shalimar Fox was a mutant.  
"You're not gonna get out of here. There are police surrounding the building. Just let her go." Lexa said, taking a step forward. She froze when Shane cocked the gun and pushed it against the nurses' temple. Brennan burst through the door then, breathing heavily and grasping his shoulder. Shane flung the nurse into a doctor's arms and grabbed Lexa before she had the chance to jump out of his reach.  
"LEXA!" Jesse shouted and leapt forward, lines of concern etched on his brow.  
"Ah, ah, ah," Shane tutted, ramming the gun into Lexa's side. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jesse stood stalk still, afraid that if he moved, he'd kill Lexa.  
"Let her go, you son of a bitch." Brennan growled. He prowled around the cleared circle, never taking his eyes off of Shane.  
"I rather think not. See, as long as I have her, you won't touch me." Shane grinned. Lexa looked like she was about three seconds from snapping. She looked at Jesse, her plan showing clearly in her eyes. 'NO' Jesse mouthed, shaking his head, fear for her visible in his eyes. She looked at him seriously, nodded once. 'Be Careful,' he mouthed, she nodded again.  
"What're you moving for bitch?!" Shane snarled ramming the gun harder into her ribs; she winced when she heard something crack and her breathing became hard. She gritted her teeth, growled and rammed her elbow into his stomach, making him loosen his hold. She spun out of his grasp and fell into Jesse's waiting arms. He held her tight, supporting her. She held her side, gasping painfully. Brennan leapt on Brennan growling like a tiger, slamming his fists into his face.  
"You okay?" He asked, frowning. He leaned down and inspected the bruise quickly forming on her ribs.  
"Broke my ribs, that bastard," she hissed through clenched teeth.  
"Okay, come on, I'll get you a doctor." He glanced back at Brennan, pummeling the shit out of Shane. A smile twitched on his lips as he got a nearby doctor's attention to tend to Lexa.  
  
Brennan punched Shane viciously, hard and fast and relentless. Blood streamed from Shane's nose and a split lip. Brennan had him by the throat and was choking and punching him at the same time and his knees pinned down Shane's hands. "You son! Of a bitch! I'm gonna! Fuck you up! I told you! Not to touch her!" He emphasized his words with swift punches. "You should! Have stayed! In jail!" In his rage he didn't see Shane's hand grappling for his gun. His weakening fingers closed around it and slowly pulled it towards him. Brennan stopped hitting him and prepared to snap his neck. Just as he broke Shane's neck, the convict brought up the gun, and fired. His dead hands falling, the bullet punched through his chest, less than an inch from his heart, then out the other side, burying itself in the ceiling. Because of the force of the bullet, Brennan was lifted bodily off of Shane and sailed backwards, blood flying through the air, and he landed sprawled on his back.  
"BRENNAN!" Jesse shouted, shoving screaming people out of the way and dropping onto his knees beside his fallen companion. "Oh God, no." He breathed; his hands shook as he laid them over the large bullet hole in Brennan's chest.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Do you hate me yet? What can I say, I like drama... oh well, you'll deal. Oh yeah, and there'll be a sequel to this one too!! Yay for my muses and their stories with impending sequels!!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing...bummer...

A/N: COME ON PEOPLE!! GET WITH THE REVIEWING PROGRAM HERE!!! I'm getting rather discouraged by the lack of response after six chapters and now the seventh. Please, I'd like to see some form of support. ::Pleading puppy-dog eyes::

Tears fell from his eyes as he turned his face to the doctors standing all around him, but unmoving, staring in shock at the scene before them. "Don't just stand there! Help him!" Jesse screamed. The doctors seemed to be shaken out of their frightened stupor and they began rushing around, four of them rushing over to Brennan and two others running to get supplies and a gurney.  
  
"Mr. Kilmartin, get out of the way." One doctor said urgently, gently pushing him away. Jesse stood and backed away, bloody hands held out in front of him. He backed into Lexa, who had been given a pain killer and had her ribs bound.  
  
"Oh my God," she gasped, tears choking her voice. Jesse turned, his face a mask of fear and pain. Lexa saw the tears on his face as his gaze stayed frozen on his friend's blood on his hands. He looked up at her, his eyes wide, scared, helpless. He looked so lost. Lexa pulled him into her arms and held him. It took him a few seconds for realization to sink in and when it did he sobbed against her shoulder, his body shook and his eyes never left his hands. Tears slipped unchecked from Lexa's eyes as she watched Brennan's stretcher being whisked away to the ER.  
  
Jesse sank into one of the chairs in the emergency room, completely unaware of the clean-up from Shane's attack going on around him. Several cops, a few of which had been on the roof top with them only a few days ago, were investegating the happenings. Brennan's crimson blood still covered his hands and he stared at them wide eyed and unblinking. Lexa finished answering the police men's questions and turned slowly, gingerly, painfully, towards where he sat. When her eyes fell upon him, her brow knitted into a concerned frown and she made her way over to his side. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. He jumped at the contact and she felt his muscles stiffen, and then relax when he realized who had touched him. He looked up with the same fear in his eyes that she had beheld there just after Brennan was shot. Lexa gently helped him to his feet and put an arm around him.  
  
"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." She insisted softly, careful to lead him gently so as not to freak him out any more than he already was.  
  
She took him to a sink and stood close by for comfort as he slowly washed the blood of his best friend down the drain. When the last red wave tumbled into the pipes, tears began to fall. Lexa pulled him into her arms and held him, whispering soothing words into his ear.  
  
After a few minutes she used her sleeve to wipe the damp from his cheeks, took his hand, and led him gently to Shalimar's room. As they walked past the nurse's desk she instructed them as to where she and Jesse would be when the found out anything about Brennan.  
  
Shalimar stirred and she felt a pressure on her hand. Her eyes flickered open slowly and she had to blink several times before her vision cleared. Lexa's worried frown swam into focus and she heard, as if from far away, her calling to Jesse. She felt his presence nearby as he came over in a rush. "Shal," she heard him say, but everything sounded so fuzzy, like she was hearing him through a thick layer of cotton. She blinked and her vision wavered, and then became clear.  
  
"Jesse," she murmured hoarsely. Her eyes flickered back to her right, "Lexa." She felt Lexa tighten her grip on her hand. Jesse brushed a few hairs off of her forehead. Her hearing had become clear by the time either of them spoke again.  
  
"Hey, Shal," It was Lexa's voice, not sounding nearly as cool and composed as she usually did. "How're you feeling?"  
  
"Tired," she replied honestly. "Sore." She glanced around, trying to get her bearings. "Where are we?" She asked weakly.  
  
"The hospital," Lexa informed her.  
  
"What? Why? Why aren't we at Sanctuary?" She looked bewildered and kind of nervous. She pushed herself into a sitting position, grunting in mild pain.  
  
"Hey, take it easy, you've been unconscious for over a week." Jesse said, there was something in his voice that made her lock her eyes on him.  
  
"Jess, are you okay? You sound...I dunno...sad, scared, depressed."  
  
"No, and all of the above." His eyes looked moist.  
  
"What happened?" She asked, and then looked around. "Wait a sec. Jesse, where's Brennan?" She asked fearfully. When she got no answer, she gripped his hand. "Jesse?!" She gasped as a sharp pain shot up her side. She doubled over, clutching at the healing wound.  
  
"Shal," Lexa said, loud enough to get her attention. Shalimar looked up at her, eyes wide and full of fear. "Brennan...He um... He went after Shane. He found out Shane was headed to the hospital and when he got here, Shane was holding one of the nurses at gunpoint. I tried to get him to let her go, which he did, but he grabbed me in the process, and broke my ribs with the barrel of his gun, then I got away from him and Brennan jumped him." She looked at Jesse to fill in the rest.  
  
"Brennan was pounding on him, and he was winning too, a few more punches and that bastard would've been done. But he got a hold of his gun and just as he fired, Brennan broke his neck. But, um...he wasn't fast enough." He caught Shalimar's scared, tear-filled expression and continued hastily. "The bullet missed his heart by about a half an inch. That was this morning. He's alive, but they don't think he'll make it through the night." A tear trickled down his cheek.  
  
"No," Shalimar whispered, tears falling down her pale cheeks, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
"He was gonna kill you Shal. Brennan saved your life; and probably the lives of everyone else here. The police say that, if he lives, Brennan won't face any murder charges. But...um...I guess it's a good thing you woke up when you did...He's in bad shape." Jesse said hoarsely.  
  
"Dammit," Shalimar sobbed "God damn you Brennan!" She shouted, and then buried her face in her hands. "Why do you always have to be the hero? Why are you always the one risking your life? Why..." her voice failed her and she sobbed, letting Jesse pull her into his arms.  
  
Suddenly a loud alarm rang out over the intercom system, making them all jump. "Code blue, room 348! Repeat: Code Blue, room 348! All ER doctors available respond immediately."  
  
"Oh my God!" Jesse exclaimed and dashed toward the door.  
  
"What happened? What's wrong?" Shalimar shouted in panic.  
  
"That's Brennan's room!" Jesse called back. "Lexa! Stay with her! Make sure she stays put!" And then he was out of sight, running pell-mell up three flights of stairs to the ICU.  
  
"Ohmygod, ohmygod," Shalimar whispered over and over again, holding her knees to her chest and rocking herself gently. Lexa put her arms around the shaking feral.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N: Please insert paragraph indents where my computer refused to despite how many times I tried to fix it... Also, The lack of reviews is discouraging. Please review. :Sad puppy-dog eyes:: Please?


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: See previous chapters

A/N: Okay, sorry 'bout the long wait but I used the word shit in a summary and got banned from posting for a really long time, so please accept my deepest apologies. I will be gone for a week, but I'll try to post as soon as I come back.

Also, in regards to a certain review that I got from someone named **Team Bitter1**: _1)_ Shane had killed before and the reporters and stuff know about it, also, if they tested the woman's blood, obviously they would find it different from that of humans. _2)_ I don't really care that the cops aren't responsible for inmates, and obviously no one else but you really cares either, so bite me. _3)_ I have seen/read/heard about people who have severe damage to their lungs/other vital organs that are placed on respirators, so there. AND FINALLY: It's pretty freaking sad that you need an entire team of people to insult a single fanfic, also, if my story was killing so many of your useless brain cells why EXACTLY did you bother continuing to chapter 7? You could have just stopped after chapter 1. Or did that concept elude you?? If you and the rest of Team Bitter have anything else to say regarding my fanfic, please, keep it to yourself, as obviously I have wasted far too many of your precious brain cells as it is and I would hate it if you wasted what few you have left with further insulting a story which no one else seems to have a problem with, and that they, in fact, seem to like rather alot.Thank you for you rudeness and lack of character and need to have more than one person to flame. I very much dislike you, which I suppose was your intent.

To my other reviewers: Thank you so much for your support and kind words, it means so much to me. I would like to not that I don't mind flames, but having to gang up on someone to do so is really just very sad. Again, thank you SOOO much. Much love. -SAPH- Now to the story:

Jesse raced down the corridor at light speed, nearly colliding with several doctors, before skidding to a halt outside Brennan's room. "What the hell is happening? What's wrong with him?" Jesse shouted into the face of the nearest doctor.

"His heart failed; do you want us to try to save him?"

"YES!" Jesse yelled angrily. "OF COURSE I WANT YOU TO TRY AND SAVE HIM YOU MORON!! DON'T YOU DARE LET HIM DIE!!" He ran to Brennan's side and clasped his hand hard, despite the doctor's arguments.

"BRENNAN! YOU BETTER NOT DIE ON ME! WE NEED YOU! SHALIMAR IS AWAKE AND SHE'S SCARED AND SHE LOVES YOU! NOW GET THAT CANDY-ASS HEART OF YOURS BEATING AGAIN!!" As if on command, the heart monitor blipped back to life. The doctors claim it was their doing, but Jesse knew that something he had said had jump started Brennan. Probably calling him a candy-ass. Brennan hated being insulted. The elemental's eyes flickered open.

"I heard that, jackass." He rasped, coughing painfully. Doctors milled around, looking confused as to Brennan's new return to life and consciousness. Jesse grinned and squeezed his hand harder.

"I knew that'd get you listening. And what right do you have to scare us like that you jerk?" Brennan smiled weakly, and then his eyes fluttered shut. "Okay, rest now, but we're going to have a serious talk about your cruel jokes later." In his sleep, Brennan smiled.

"His condition has greatly improved. I don't know what you did Mr. Kilmartin, but whatever it was, it worked."

"Is he stable?"

"Not yet. He's still in danger. We may lose him yet. But his chances of living are far better now than they were fifteen minutes ago."

"Rock on. I've got to tell Shalimar. You keep an eye him for me. If he decides to die again, call me immediately." The doctor nodded and Jesse left without another word.

Jesse entered Shalimar's room a few minutes later. Her head snapped up and her eyes were red-rimmed and tear-filled. She looked at him with fear in her eyes. "He's okay." Jesse said and Shalimar let out a joyous sob. "The doctors say his chances of living have greatly improved. They don't know how, but it's cool."

"What happened?" Lexa asked.

"Well, Sparky up there went flat line and they couldn't get him to respond, so I yelled at him. I told him we needed him, I told him Shal was awake and scared for him and that she loves him....then I told him to get his candy-ass heart beating again, and well, it did." He grinned and chuckled quietly when Shalimar gave a small laugh.

"He hates being insulted." Shalimar smiled. "Thanks Jess."

"For what?"

"For taking care of him," She replied. He smiled and hugged her.

"Hey, Brennan," Shalimar sat in a wheel chair beside his bed, still in the ICU. She would have preferred to walk up there on her own, but, after much protest, relinquished her walking rights to the wishes of her doctors.

She held his hand tightly in her smaller one, rubbing her thumb over his cool flesh. "You've gotta wake up, baby. I need you to wake up." Her eyes flooded and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She knew what the doctors had said: 'His body has been traumatized by the two bullets. His heart has been affected. It is likely that he will not make it. You need to be prepared, if he doesn't.' She knew what they had said, but she refused to let him die. She would not let him leave her like this.

There were so many wires and tubes coming in and going out of Brennan's body that he was barely recognizable. He was hooked up to life support, a heart monitor, a respirator, IVs, and some other medical garbage she couldn't name. His skin was pale and ashy, there were dark circles under his eyes, and his chest rose so slightly that sometimes she wondered if he was breathing at all.

She was scared; undeniably, indescribably, scared for him. He had given up everything for her and now, as she looked upon him, lying there, hurt and probably dying, she was filled with this overwhelming guilt and sorrow. If she had just stayed off of that roof like he had asked, she never would've gotten shot and neither would he...And he wouldn't be here right now. They would've been home, laughing and talking together. But no, she had to be stubborn and stupid and go after the bad guy by herself...

She sighed shakily and a tear spilled down her cheek. She shouldn't psychoanalyze, she knew, but she couldn't help thinking of the 'what ifs'. What if Shane hadn't escaped? What if she hadn't argued with Brennan about her participation in the mission? What if she had waited for him before going to the roof? What if she had noticed Shane before he got a chance to sneak up on her? What if-?

But it was too late for those now. Here he was and here she was and it was too late to think about the things she could have or should have done differently. Right now she had to concentrate on Brennan. She wouldn't let him go. Not without a fight. If the Fates wanted to take him from her, they were gonna get one hell of a fight before she let them have him.

"I won't let you go. I won't." She said through gritted teeth and tears. "You can't leave me. I need you to much." She let herself go, tears running in streams down her cheeks. She buried her face in his bed sheets, laying her forehead on his arm. Her shoulders shook with sobs. "Please don't leave me. Please." She gasped through her tears. She inhaled sharply and snapped her head up when she felt his hand move. "Brennan?" She whispered, leaning closer to him. His eyes opened partially and he looked at her through heavily lidded eyes.

"Hey," he rasped weakly.

"Brennan." Shalimar sobbed, leaning forward to kiss him, her tears falling onto his face.

"I...didn't wanna leave...without...saying g-goodbye." He murmured.

"Don't talk like that. Please," she cried. "Please don't leave me. I need you."

"I...know. I'm...trying...I'm trying...to stay."

"Then stay," she pleaded. "Stay with me."

"I'm trying...I'm holding... on...for you...but...it hurts..."

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have gone to that roof top. If I hadn't, this never would have happened."

"No," he coughed painfully. "No, baby...this...this isn't y-your fault." He took a breath. "I-it's mine. If I...hadn't been...so obsessed...with getting Shane..." He coughed again.

"Shh...No more talk. Just rest. I need for you to stay with me. And for that your body needs to rest." She stroked his cheek with her hand gently, kissing his forehead as he closed his eyes and fell asleep. "Please don't leave me." New tears sprang into her eyes and she laid her head on his arm and cried.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer:Yeah yeah, not mine, blah blah blah...stop rubbing it in...

A/N: Sorry 'bout the wait, yeas, I know it's a short chapter but it needed to be for effect...deal with it...

Jesse and Lexa came quietly into the room, seeing Shalimar asleep with her head on the edge of Brennan's bed, but despite their near-silence, Shalimar woke with a start, calling Brennan's name, breathing heavily. Jesse rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"It's okay. Shh, it's okay. Calm down. What happened?" He said soothingly.

"Just...a dream..." She breathed.

"What'd you see?"

"It was weird," she frowned, trying to remember. "I saw Brennan running down this sort of hallway...but it was strange, like, distorted, sort of... I ran after him, but the faster I ran, the further away he got. Then he just disappeared. I got to the place where'd he disappeared and almost fell through this huge crack in the floor. I watched him fall and I couldn't reach him to save him. I was helpless."

Jesse hugged her tightly, "Well, it was just a dream. Don't think too hard about it."

"Yeah, you're right...It just, freaked me out."

"Well, I know dreams can be kind of weird and stuff, and I don't mean to be mean," Lexa said, slowly, as if choosing her words carefully, so as not to offend her. "But, I'm a bit more concerned with Brennan. How's he doing?"

"He talked to me last night." Shalimar said, eyes filling with tears.

"What?!" Jesse and Lexa gaped in unison.

"He woke up and said that, um...that he didn't want to leave without saying good-bye and that he was trying to hold on...but that it hurt..." Her voice broke and she let the tears fall. "He's hurting...and I'm the reason... It's my fault..." Lexa pulled her into her arms and held her gently. Shalimar put her face on Lexa's arm. Jesse rubbed his hand over her back comfortingly.

"Shal, he's holding on because he wants to. Don't you know that he'd do anything for you?" Lexa asked quietly.

"I know," she sobbed. "But if it weren't for me, we wouldn't be here."

"That's not true." Jesse said, making Shalimar look up sharply. "We don't know what would've come from Shane's escape, had the rest of us just let Brennan take care of it on his own. We'll never know that. But I highly doubt that he blames you for what happened to him or the pain he's in now. He didn't have to jump on Shane in the lobby. He made a choice. Like we all make choices. His just ended badly. As did yours when you chose to go up to the roof without backup. That's just the way it is."

"He's right, Shal." Lexa agreed. "Besides, if we were going to blame anyone for all this crap, we'd blame Shane. It was his fault. If he'd just stayed in jail..."

"None of this would've happened." Shalimar finished for her. She wiped away her tears. "I know, you're right. It's just...hard not to blame myself. I mean, he told me to stay away from Shane, he told me not to go on that rooftop alone. He begged me to stay out of this. And did I listen? Do I ever?"

"Of course not, but that's what we love most about you. Plus, you love him. And you were concerned."

"Yeah, but still..." Jesse pulled her into a tight hug, effectively silencing her guilt.

Shalimar ran into Brennan's room, hand tightly gripping the arm of a young woman dressed as a nurse. "Who the hell's that?" Lexa asked, standing defensively.

"This is Amelia. She's a telempath. I figured, Brennan saved Jesse that time he got shot with that special bullet by being connected to his mind and helping him escape that little hell he was stuck in, so why can't I do the same for Brennan." Shalimar explained hastily, sitting down beside Brennan's bed, ignoring the looks on her two friend's faces.

"Shal, are you sure this is a good idea?" Jesse asked apprehensively.

"No, but it's worth a shot." She looked over at Jesse and saw his expression and smiled softly. "It's been two weeks and I'm sick of feeling helpless. Jess, I can't just sit here and watch him die." Jesse walked over and laid a hand on her arm.

"Okay," he nodded. "Just be careful. You have no idea what his subconscious is subjecting him to."

"Thanks," she smiled. "Okay, Amelia, let's do it." Amelia nodded and shot a psychic wave at Shalimar, who instantly fell unconscious. Jesse looked at Amelia.

"The first sign of trouble, you pull her out, you got it?" He ordered.

"Yessir," Amelia nodded.

"Good," Jesse walked over to Lexa, who put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Please, God, let this work." Jesse whispered, watching Shalimar closely. Lexa pulled him into a gentle hug then they sat back to watch for any sign of change.

Shalimar found herself dropped into a dark, fog-filled, expanse of nothing. Red swirls of cloud-ish things swept around her. She took a hesitant step forward, then another. A few feet away a reddish-orange glow erupted, exceedingly bright in the gloomy dark, from a gaping chasm in the ground. "Brennan?" Shalimar called quietly, inching forward a little. "Brennan?" She called a little louder.

"Shalimar!" She heard Brennan yell, seemingly below her.

"Brennan!" Shalimar called, moving toward the chasm quickly. Suddenly she heard shrill screeching as several black cloaked and hooded creatures appeared around her. She screamed and covered her overly sensitive ears. The screeching stopped and she rose from where she had fallen to the floor, ears ringing and still at least a foot away from where Brennan inevitably hung on for dear life.

"Shalimar, get the hell out of here! Stay away from them!" Brennan shouted at her, sounding far away. "Leave me here!"

"No way! If I leave, you're coming with me!" She turned to look at the creatures that were slowly creeping closer to her. "What the hell are you...things?" She yelled at them.

"We," a grating voice answered, sounding remarkably close to the sound of nails on a chalkboard. Shalimar winced, but stood strong. "We are of shadow and darkness, of sadness and rage, of fear and pain. We are that of nightmares. We are what you feel watching you when no one is near. We keep here those that could become one of us, but refuses. We leave those that defy us in the Chasm of Fire. There they rot until their deaths and another of us is borne of their falling ashes. This is the fate of your lover, who refused our offer and clings to the hope that one day he will find him way back to the people he loves and the woman who waits. You. But we shall allow you passage to the Chasm. You cannot have him. His fate is sealed. Be gone, or you will join him."

Shalimar yawned visibly and quirked an eyebrow at the thing that appeared to be their leader, "Oh, I'm sorry, were you still talking? I got bored somewhere after...oh...the first sentence." She smirked. "So, here's how it's gonna go, I'm not leaving here without Brennan and I'm not going anywhere until I have him. The way I see it you have two choices, get the hell out of my way and let me have my boyfriend, or two, I kick your asses out of my way and I'll take him back whether you like it or not."

"You have no power here. You shall never get through." The shadowy creature hissed as the other eight creatures advanced.

"Back off, ugly, you don't know what you're dealing with." Shalimar growled, moving into a fighting stance.

"Shalimar Fox, feral, acquainted until recently with one Adam Cane, has almost never lost in hand-to-hand combat." Shalimar smirked in amusement.

"No," She smiled then growled deep in her throat. "A pissed off girlfriend who wants her lover back." She leapt on the leader and tackled him to the ground. She slashed her nails across his face, in the process, throwing off his hood. She gasped in horror and stumbled back. It was the ugliest thing she'd ever seen, mottled and greenish-purple skin hung from the sallow bones of its face, its eyes were milky-white with maggots wriggling from tiny holes and crawling in and out of his hanging flesh.

"Ugh!" She exclaimed. "No wonder you cover that face! Ever heard of plastic surgery?" The creature drew its hood back over its head with similarly mottled hands and hissed in rage.

"Ever heard of shutting your mouth and learning respect for those more powerful than you?" He quipped.

"No, have you?" She grinned and leapt on him again, quickly snapping his neck, leaving him in a crumpled heap on the ground. The others stepped back in shock at the unforeseen death of their leader. Shalimar glared at them warningly and rushed over to the edge of the Chasm of Fire and looked down. A long ways below her, Brennan clung to an outcropping of rocks, molten lava rushed along beneath him and flames leapt from its surface, licking at the rocks and turning them red with heat.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Review.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hi guys, I'm soooo sorry for the wait. i didn't realise it'd been like 3 months. bummer... ::huggles her internet:: Oh how I missed you my preciousssss... Woah, LOTR moment...moving on. Here's the final chapter, loong awaited, of The Past Comes A-Haunting. Sorry again that it took so long and I hope it was worth the wait. Much love. Saph

"Brennan. Hold on!" Shalimar yelled down to him.

"What do you think I'm doing?!" He shouted back.

"Smart ass," she smiled softly. He hadn't lost his humor through this ordeal. "Can you climb up?" She called.

"I can try."

"Okay, but be careful." Worry lines creased her face. He nodded and began pulling himself up inch by excruciatingly slow inch. She reached out a hand to him, though he was still several feet away from her. He glanced up and froze in horror.

"Shal, behind you!" He shouted. The other creatures had regrouped and snuck up behind her and were looming over her, several with curved blades in their hands. Shalimar whipped around and stumbled back, nearly toppling into the crack. She quickly dropped to one knee as one of the creatures leaped at her and fell head first to the lava below after missing her and flying over her head. She stayed on her knee and kicked the legs out from underneath two more. The two that fell, she grabbed the fronts of their cloaks and tossed them into the lava, their shrieks of pain lost to her bloodlust-filled mind. Her only thoughts were for hers and Brennan's survival. She hadn't come this far just to lose him now. These horrors were dead before they even began. She rapidly killed three more with kicks to the bases of their skulls, breaking their necks. Only two more remained and she faced them, chest heaving with exertion and sweat glistening on her face and arms.

"We are the strongest of our kind, feral. You cannot defeat us," one of them rasped.

"Try me, maggot-face. Nobody messes with the people I love." She grinned at them and stepped forward. Then the other threw back his hood and she backed up in shock, a hand covering her gaping mouth. "Shane," she breathed, taking another step back to the edge of the chasm.

"That's right baby, I'm so bad, they inducted me. How d'ya like that." He grinned.

"My God," She whispered.

"You won't get away from me again, sweet heart. This is the end. Welcome to Purgatory. You'll not get out of here alive."

"Apparently killing you once wasn't good enough. You snuck up on me before, caught me off guard. Trust me, that won't happen again. And this time you don't have a gun to hide behind. In a hand to hand fight, I'll kill you. Bring it on, bastard." She glanced down and saw Brennan creeping closing to the lip of the crack and she sighed with relief. That was when Shane and the other jumped at her. She flipped over their heads and the last mottled creature skidded over the edge and fell to his death, shrill scream forcing her to cover her ears again. Shane managed to stop in time and turned to face her.

"I've got you all to myself now, baby. Let's see what you got." Shane beckoned her forward, but she stood in her place, staring at him uninterestedly.

"God, you're boring. Can I just kill you and get it over with please?" She raised an eyebrow at him. Brennan's hand slipped over the edge of the gap, fingers splayed out trying to find some purchase to get a grip and pull himself up. Shane turned and stomped on his hand, grinding his heel into Brennan's fingers viciously. Brennan cried out in pain but managed to bring his other hand up and grab hold of a small rock in time to prevent himself from falling. Shane stepped down on the other hand. Shalimar hissed in rage and threw herself at him, both of them toppling over the edge.

"SHALIMAR!" Brennan shouted, throwing out his hand and grabbing her wrist with his hand. He held on tightly as the weight tugged at him. Below, Shane still clung to Shalimar while she tried to get him off. "Let her go, you bastard!" He yelled, kicking out at the side of his head. Shalimar growled viciously and kneed Shane in the face, effectively knocking him unconscious. He fell, cloak billowing out behind him as he plunged into the red hot liquid below.

Brennan felt Shalimar slip as their sweaty skin slid against each other. He was grasping at the base of her hand now, trying desperately to keep his hold on her. "Hang on, Shal! Don't let go!" He shouted down at her. She slipped a little more. She reached up with her other hand at grabbed at his wrist, only to miss and slip down further. She tried again and Brennan was pulling at her fingers.

Shalimar's body twitched and sweat poured down her face and she whimpered. Jesse went to her fearfully and took her hand. "Is she okay? Should we bring her back?"

"No, not yet." Amelia replied. "The sweat is probably a reaction to the conditions of the place that she's in. Give her another few minutes."

"Come on, Shal, you can do this! Bring him back." Jesse tightened his grip on her hand. Lexa watched with bated breath as annoyance and anger and disgust and spite and fear flashed across her features. "Come on, Shal, come on." He urged quietly.

"Brennan I'm slipping!" She screamed in panic as she slid just a bit further.

"Hold on, Shal! Try again!" She swung her hand up and grasped painfully at his wrist and held on tightly as he adjusted his grip on her other hand. "Good, baby, good, now hold on, we're gonna get out of this." He called reassuringly and began pulling her up with all the strength her had left in his arm. She wrapped her legs around his, then slowly inched herself up. "Good, good, go ahead; get over the edge, quickly."

"What about you?!" She exclaimed.

"You first," he ordered. "Go on, hurry, I don't know how much longer I can hold on. Go! I'm right behind you!" She nodded and slowly climbed up his body and over the ledge, breathing heavily. She rolled over onto her stomach and looked down at him.

"Come on, Brennan, hurry. Take my hand." She reached out to him and that's when he slipped. He lost his grip on the rock he had been holding onto and began to fall. Shalimar grabbed his hand desperately. "Hold on!" She exclaimed, reaching down with her other hand. She began bodily lifting and pulling his tired body out of the Chasm until she had successfully pulled him out and over the edge. He laid gasping for air and aching all over. His arms hurt and his lungs burned, but he was alive and he was going home. Then he heard Shalimar gasp.

Shalimar breathed heavily, exertion showing in the frown lines on her face. Her fingers grabbed at the air and the muscles in her arms clenched, like she was lifting something extremely heavy. She squashed Jesse's hand painfully. Then her grip loosened and her body relaxed. Jesse used that opportunity to extricate his throbbing fingers from her grasp and rub his hand gingerly. Then she gasped and her body tensed again.

Shalimar heard a noise behind her and stood, turning to face her quarry. She stood in front of Brennan, shielding him, in his weakened form, from the danger before them. "Damn, don't you guys die?" He heard her say as she jumped forward at the four creatures that she had thought she'd killed. She had broken their necks, but apparently that hadn't been enough.

Shalimar grabbed the first one and threw him over her into the pit, then jumped on a second. She slammed her fist into his mottled face over and over, rage boiling up inside of her. "You bastards," punch, "kept him from me," slam. "You," she decked him again then threw him head first into the Chasm of Fire. She snarled and whirled on the last two, noticing that the leader hung back. She quickly finished the last of the leader's minions then faced him resolutely. "You," she repeated, "will not have him. Or me. Ever," she said, her voice low with anger. "Prepare to die...again..."

The leader leaped at her and she ducked out of his way quickly, turning to face him as he whirled upon her. He pulled a jagged blade from the folds of his cloak and rushed at her with it. The silver of the blade and the colors in the jeweled handle glinted with some un-seen light. "Your insolence will be paid with your blood, feral." He rasped as he thrust the blade at her stomach. She quickly dodged and grabbed his slimy hand, turning the blade inward and stabbing him in the chest with his own blade. The creature yanked the blade out of him and shoved it back at her, nicking her side painfully.

"Shalimar!" Jesse exclaimed in horror as blood trickled from a small cut in her side. He grabbed a handkerchief off of the bedside table and pressed it to the wound gingerly, watching her face flash pain, then insurmountable rage. "Pull her out!" He ordered of Amelia. "Pull her out now!"

"Not yet, Jesse," Lexa said, breaking her long silence at last.

"What? How can you say that? She's getting hurt in there! We have to pull her out. Now, before it's too late."

"Not yet. She's fighting. She's doing what she went in to do. Give her another few minutes. I have faith in her. You should to. Like I said, of the things I've learned since joining Mutant X, one of the first was never mess with a feral. Especially if someone they care about is on the line." Lexa looked at him pleadingly. "Please, Jess, give her more time. She'll be pissed if she's winning and we take her out, leaving Brennan there alone."

Jesse met her eyes, looking annoyed and disapproving, but mostly worried. "Okay," he whispered at last. "A few more minutes." Lexa went to him and held him close.

"She'll be okay, Jesse. She'll get him back. I believe in her strength and in their love."

"So do I," he put his arms around her and laid his head on her shoulder. "So do I."

Shalimar winced then growled deep in her throat and snatched the blade from his maggoty grasp. "Cheater, weapons weren't part of the deal. Besides, it's not fair if you have one and I don't." She grinned at him coyly.

"Be silent! You talk too much! Learn your place!" He hissed, creeping forward to get his knife back.

"Learn yours," she snarled and jammed the blade under his ribcage, twisted and threw the leader over her head and down, down, down into the Chasm of Fire to his hot and painful death, shrill screeching still ringing in the air long after his black-cloaked body had sunk below the surface.

Shalimar collapsed to the ground, panting with exertion and exhaustion. She laid her hand on her side and it came away with blood. She glared at it in annoyance, "bastard," she breathed, then got unsteadily to her feet and went to Brennan where he still lay on the ground, breathing heavily and coughing the ash from his lungs. "Brennan," she whispered and pulled him into her arms, holding him close.

Shalimar sat bolt upright in the hospital chair, much to Jesse and Lexa's surprise, and got to her feet. She swayed dangerously and was only prevented from falling by Jesse's hand on her elbow, keeping her upright. She turned to Brennan quickly and they watched as he stirred and moaned quietly. His eyes lids flickered open slowly and Shalimar pulled him gently into her arms and held him tight with tears running down her cheeks. He smiled softly as he wrapped his arms around her back, a single tear falling from his eyes. She pulled away and looked into his dark, sparkling eyes, and laughed through her tears.

"God, I missed those eyes," she smiled and kissed him. He ran his hands over her face and kissed her repeatedly. He let his suppressed tears fall as he stared at her, afraid to look away, should she be an illusion of his stressed mind. Jesse and Lexa hugged him gently hen they got a chance and them stepped back, giving him and Shal their space.

"I thought...they told me you were dead..." Brennan breathed, kissing her again.

"And you believed them?" Shalimar smiled at him happily. He shook his head no and smiled back, running his hands over her shoulders and down her sides. She winced when he touched the cut on her side.

"You're bleeding," he said, frowning as he gently ran his finger over the bloody cut.

"Yeah, sharp knives those bastards have," she smiled. "It's no big deal, it's just a scratch."

"The knife touched you?" His voice shook and his eyes widened visibly.

"Yeah, why? What's wrong?"

"The blades are poisoned." He looked up and into her eyes, fear and concern showed in his dark orbs...

THE END

A/N: Look for the sequel: Blades of the Brethren, coming soon, to find out what becomes of Shalimar after been touched by the deadly poison of the creatures who are not wholly of Brennan's own subconscious.


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